Quick Answer
The correct first two actions are to disable the user account in Microsoft Entra ID and revoke all active sessions. Disabling the account immediately stops the compromised user from authenticating and sending further phishing emails, while revoking sessions invalidates any existing access or refresh tokens that could still be used by the attacker. On the SC-200 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the containment phase in the incident response process, specifically for identity-based threats. A common trap is choosing to reset the password first, but that is secondary because an attacker with active tokens can still operate even after a password change. Blocking external email is too broad and unnecessary when the phishing is internal, and other actions like resetting MFA are premature. Remember the containment priority: stop access, then kill tokens—think "Disable and Revoke" as your immediate lockdown pair.
This SC-200 practice question tests your understanding of respond to security incidents. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
You are responding to an incident where a user's Microsoft Entra ID account was compromised and used to send phishing emails internally. You need to prevent further damage. Which two actions should you take first?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "first"
Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Reset the user's password
Why wrong: Should be done after disabling.
Revoke the user's sessions
Invalidates any active tokens.
Disable the user account in Microsoft Entra ID
Stops the attacker from using the account.
Block all external email from the organization
Why wrong: Too broad and unnecessary.
Remove the user from all distribution groups
Why wrong: Not a priority.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Revoke the user's sessions
Option A is correct because disabling the account stops immediate use. Option D is correct because revoking sessions ensures any active tokens are invalidated. Option B is wrong because resetting password is secondary. Option C is wrong because blocking external email is too broad. Option E is wrong because it's unnecessary for internal phishing.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Reset the user's password
Why it's wrong here
Should be done after disabling.
Revoke the user's sessions
Why this is correct
Invalidates any active tokens.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Disable the user account in Microsoft Entra ID
Why this is correct
Stops the attacker from using the account.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Block all external email from the organization
Why it's wrong here
Too broad and unnecessary.
Remove the user from all distribution groups
Why it's wrong here
Not a priority.
Common exam traps
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
What to study next
Identify which SC-200 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Respond to security incidents — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
Respond to security incidents practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
All SC-200 questions
1,639 questions across all exam domains
Microsoft Security Operations Analyst SC-200 study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
SC-200 practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Practise SC-200 questions linked to Manage a security operations environment.
Practise SC-200 questions linked to Respond to security incidents.
Practise SC-200 questions linked to Perform threat hunting.
Practise SC-200 questions linked to Mitigate threats using Microsoft Defender XDR.
Practise SC-200 questions linked to Mitigate threats using Microsoft Defender for Cloud.
Practise SC-200 questions linked to Mitigate threats using Microsoft Sentinel.
Practise SC-200 questions linked to SC-200 fundamentals.
Practise SC-200 questions linked to SC-200 scenario.
Practise SC-200 questions linked to SC-200 troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Respond to security incidents — This question tests Respond to security incidents — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Revoke the user's sessions — Option A is correct because disabling the account stops immediate use. Option D is correct because revoking sessions ensures any active tokens are invalidated. Option B is wrong because resetting password is secondary. Option C is wrong because blocking external email is too broad. Option E is wrong because it's unnecessary for internal phishing.
Identify which SC-200 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Yes — watch for: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Same concept, more angles
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. You are responding to an incident where a user's credentials were used to access a federated SaaS application from an IP address associated with a known threat actor. The user's account is not disabled. Which action is most effective to prevent further unauthorized access?
mediumWhy A: Resetting the user's password and revoking tokens is the most effective because it invalidates current sessions and prevents further use of stolen credentials. Disabling the account is also effective but may cause business disruption; resetting and revoking is less disruptive. Blocking IP may not be effective if threat actor uses different IPs. Conditional access policy change is slower.
Variation 2. Which TWO actions are valid for containing a compromised user account in Microsoft 365 Defender? (Choose two.)
mediumWhy A: A and D are correct. Disabling the user account immediately blocks access. Resetting the password forces the user to change credentials. B is wrong because deleting the mailbox is destructive and may be unnecessary. C is wrong because blocking the user's IP may affect other users. E is wrong because revoking session tokens does not prevent new sign-ins with valid credentials.
Variation 3. Which TWO actions are valid containment steps for a compromised user account in Microsoft Defender XDR?
hardVariation 4. During an incident, an analyst finds that a user's account was compromised and used to send spam. The analyst needs to revoke all active sessions for that user. What should the analyst do?
mediumWhy B: Option C is correct because revoking sessions in Microsoft Entra ID invalidates all tokens. Option A is wrong because resetting password does not revoke existing sessions. Option B is wrong because disabling the user stops new sign-ins but may not revoke current sessions. Option D is wrong because Conditional Access policies do not revoke sessions.
Variation 5. You are investigating a security incident involving a compromised user account. The attacker used the account to access sensitive data in SharePoint Online. Which TWO actions should you take to remediate the incident? (Choose two.)
easyWhy B: Option A and D are correct. Disabling the account immediately stops further access. Revoking sessions ensures the attacker's current sessions are terminated. Option B is wrong because reviewing sign-in logs is investigation, not remediation. Option C is wrong because resetting the password is good but may not kill active sessions without revocation. Option E is wrong because creating a Conditional Access policy is a long-term preventive measure, not immediate remediation.
Variation 6. During an incident response, you identify that a user's account was used to sign in from an unusual location. You need to contain the incident immediately. What should you do first?
mediumWhy B: Option A is correct because disabling the user account in Microsoft Entra ID is the fastest way to stop all sign-ins, containing the incident. Option B is wrong because resetting password alone does not prevent the attacker from using existing tokens. Option C is wrong because revoking sessions does not block future sign-ins. Option D is wrong because Conditional Access policies cannot block a specific user instantly.
Variation 7. You are investigating an incident in Microsoft Sentinel where a user account was used to sign in from an unfamiliar location and then accessed multiple sensitive files. Which step is most important to perform first?
easyWhy D: Option A is correct because confirming account compromise is the highest priority to stop further malicious activity. Option B is wrong because checking firewall logs is less immediate. Option C is wrong because blocking IP addresses may not be effective if the attacker uses proxies. Option D is wrong because reviewing permissions is a secondary step.
Keep practising
Last reviewed: Jun 21, 2026
This SC-200 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Microsoft certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the SC-200 exam.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.